Of the vehicles that the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office returned to the City of Lathrop after the contract for policing services expired, there will be four that are being putting back into service.

And it could cost approximately $100,000 to get them inline with the other vehicles that the City of Lathrop already has in its police fleet.

According to the staff report for a consent calendar item that will be before the Lathrop City Council when they meet on Monday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m., two Chevrolet Tahoes will be reoutfitted to serve as the vehicles for two watch commanders, while a third Chevrolet Tahoe will be outfitted to serve as the agency’s third K9 vehicle.

A Ford Fusion will be outfitted to be used as a community resource officer vehicle.

The Lathrop City Council meetings on second Monday of the month at Lathrop City Hall – located at 390 Towne Centre Drive.

Lathrop currently has a contract with NextGen Alpha Upfitting to outfit the city’s police department fleet and get them patrol ready, and while the bulk of the cost of the change order that will be before the council, additional equipment for nine other vehicles that was not initially installed will be added as part of the change order.

Approximately $20,000 of the estimated $123,676 total will be attributed to the additions to the nine other vehicle – which range in cost from just under $3,000 to just over $1,000.

According to the staff report, changes to staffing as well as the addition to two more officers to the city’s ranks necessitated the implementation of the new vehicles. Funding for the expenses will come from the capital improvement project fund that was created when the council authorized a set amount of funding to get new Lathrop Police Department off the ground.

Lathrop has been responsible for its own law enforcement services since June 29 – a move that city leaders believe will ultimately save taxpayers an abundance of money once the initial startup costs have been recuperated.

The Lathrop Police Department building in River Islands was fully paid for before the agency formally opened its doors to the public, and the savings that city officials believe they will see will come after adding additional personnel to bolster the new departments personnel ranks and provide residents with what they believe will be enhanced levels of service.

To contact Bulletin reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.